With a record-shattering total of 1,798 entries signed-in, the 40th annual Tulsa Shootout is one of the toughest racing events to win, let alone qualify for, in the entire world of motorsports. It’s called “The Mecca of Micros” for good reason.

Five of the six divisions have set an all-time high for car count with the program requiring 389 races totaling 3,686 laps over the next five days, and every single one of those laps will be live on FloRacing.

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The only problem with writing this article you’re reading is that the true list of contenders for the prestigious Golden Drillers run a mile long, but we wanted to give you a look at 20 of the most notable stars in action this week inside Tulsa’s SageNet Center.

FloRacing is the official live streaming partner of the Tulsa Shootout, which officially begins on Tuesday, December 31 with Heat Races that evening. The event continues all the way through Saturday, January 4 when six Golden Drillers are decided.

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Let’s look at some of the top dogs in attendance, including:

Emerson Axsom (Franklin, IN)

You could argue that nobody has been a bigger name at the Tulsa Shootout in the 2020’s than Emerson Axsom. In the last five years, he’s won four Golden Drillers (the most) - including Winged Outlaw in back-to-back years - and qualified for 15 of a possible 20 main events. Amazingly enough, his average finish of the last 10 features is 5.4, and that’s hampered by one DNF. Fresh off a breakout season in the Winged Sprint Car ranks, this Hoosier kid is back for more with Ten-J Chassis and Indy Race Parts this week.

Kyle Larson (Elk Grove, CA)

With his son Owen Larson racing Jr. Sprints and Restricted, it made sense for Kyle Larson to end his 14-year absence from the Tulsa Shootout and come back to run quadruple duty with powerhouse CB Industries. His Chili Bowl exploits are well known, but did you know that Yung Money shined at the Shootout, first? He started on the front row of the 2009 Winged Outlaw main event and won a Silver Driller in Outlaw Karts from the 25th running in 2010. After winning the $100,000 High Limit International down under in Australia on Monday night, he completed the worldwide travel and has made it to Tulsa to chase four Golden Drillers this week.

Christopher Bell (Norman, OK)

After a two-year hiatus from racing inside the Expo, C-Bell will return to action in both the Tulsa Shootout and Chili Bowl Nationals over the coming weeks. Along with three Chili Bowl Golden Drillers, the Oklahoma native also has a 2018 Winged Outlaw title from the Shootout to his name. His most recent appearance at the “Mecca of Micros” produced runs of 2nd in A-Class and 6th in Outlaw Non-Wing. Look for the NASCAR star to reassert his presence in the Expo this week while running quadruple duty.

Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, IN)

It was a brutal go at the 2024 Tulsa Shootout for “Sunshine” – missing all four main events – but Tyler Courtney has reloaded and aligned himself with the potent Driven Performance team as he drives Jake Hagopian’s No. 14 this week. The High Limit Racing full-timer continues his lifelong pursuit of a Golden Driller, as he’s arguably the best active driver without a Tulsa Shootout title to his credit through 16 main event starts. He’ll have four chances this week before returning for the Chili Bowl Nationals with Kyle Larson Racing.

Frank Flud (Pryor, OK)

On this list every single year, Flud is a legend in the micro sprint ranks with more Tulsa Shootout A-Main starts (36) than anyone else over the last two decades. He’s a five-time Golden Driller winner in the micro sprint ranks, including last year when he topped a thrilling race in Stock Non-Wing. The Okie will again do quadruple duty as he looks to extend his many Tulsa Shootout records as an all-time great in this building.

VIDEO: Frank Flud scored another Golden Driller after winning the Stock Non-Wing A-Main at the 39th Annual Tulsa Shootout.

Joe B. Miller (Millersville, MO)

Not far behind Flud when it comes to worthy of the hype in Tulsa is the man known simply as “Joe B.” He’s a 26-time Tulsa Shootout A-Main starter – ranking sixth-most since 2000 – and he’s famous for producing one of the most iconic moments in event history when he won the 2017 Winged Outlaw Golden Driller from dead last, coming from 24th-to-1st. His No. 51B will participate in quadruple duty this week as he tries to become the sixth man to reach 30+ starts joining Flud, Chris Andrews, Brady Bacon, Jonathan Beason, and Kevin Bayer.

Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, OK)

In each of his last four attempts at the Tulsa Shootout, Pursley has qualified for three of the four main events – his 12 starts in the last five years ranking second-most behind only Axsom’s 15. With six top-five finishes including runner-up results in 2020 and 2023 in Stock Non-Wing and A-Class, respectively, the Golden Driller has been within his grasp but slipped away each time. A Tulsa Shootout title is at the top of his bucket list before returning for a shot at the Chili Bowl, and then joining High Limit Racing full-time in 2025.

Steven Snyder Jr. (Rising Sun, MD)

On top of his game in Micro Sprint’s regular season, Snyder won races between Florida, California, Oklahoma, Illinois, and more in 2024. He’s no stranger to winning the biggest race in the sport such as the Outlaw Nationals, Terry Sprague Memorial, Small Town Throwdown, Deuces Wild, and more. The Maryland native still has a bit to prove inside the Expo, however, producing just one top-10 through 11 tries at the Tulsa Shootout. It’s only a matter of when, not if, that he starts contending for the Golden Drillers.

Ricky Thornton Jr. (Martinsville, IN)

In a short amount of time, RTJ has quickly inserted himself as one of the serious contenders for the Golden Driller year-after-year. He’s already ran 2nd to Jake Hagopian in the A-Class main event and was in the midst of a heated battle for the Stock Non-Wing title last year before the engine ruined his shot at Tulsa Shootout glory. The reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion has partnered with Indy Race Parts this week for four more chances at his first Driller in the Expo.

Kameron Key (Warrensburg, MO)

Back with TKH Motorsports, a Missouri team that already owns multiple Golden Drillers with Brady Bacon, Key is set for another run at quadruple duty this week in the familiar No. 21J. He’s ran top-10 in at least one division each of the last three years at the Tulsa Shootout, and last time he was in the building he qualified for his first-career Chili Bowl A-Main. Established a consistent contender now, he’ll try to become the second driver to give the Hinck’s a Golden Driller this week.

KJ Snow (Kingsburg, CA)

Last year, KJ Snow joined an elite list of 17 drivers to start all four Stock/Outlaw A-Mains in a single night at the Tulsa Shootout – extending his streak to 10-straight years in a Shootout A-Main, tied for second-longest active run. He’s a popular face in the pit area and he’s back with the Driven Performance group for quadruple duty as he tries to top his career-best effort of third in the Expo building.

Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK)

Owner of nine Golden Drillers already, Hahn added his latest to the collection last year when he returned to victory lane in the Outlaw Non-Wing A-Main with Ten-J Chassis, a division he’s now topped twice. The Sapulpa native returns looking for mantle hardware this week at the Shootout. It’s a great warmup for the grandson of event founder, Emmett Hahn, as he chases his sixth Chili Bowl A-Main start in two weeks.

Kyle Busch (Las Vegas, NV)

Although he’s yet to qualify for a Tulsa Shootout A-Main in two years of trying, NASCAR superstar Kyle Busch will certainly be one of the hot topics all week long as he’s back in Micro Sprints with son Brexton Busch before debuting at the Chili Bowl Nationals in two weeks. KB has shown flashes of excellence in a Micro in Tulsa before and now he’s got ace crew chief “Big Al” helping on his No. 51.

TJ Smith (Fresno, CA)

After 15+ years of trying, the Micro Sprint world watched one of the best finally take his place at the mountaintop in 2023 when TJ Smith topped Outlaw Non-Wing for his first Golden Driller. After that career-defining moment, though, the 2024 Shootout was a bit humbling when Smith failed to qualify for all four main events. Still with a stout group at Driven Performance, look for Smith to rally this week and put his name back into contention for the Golden Driller.

Michael Faccinto (Hanford, CA)

A two-time Golden Driller (2013 A-Class, 2015 Winged Outlaw), Faccinto has the chance to become the 12th driver with three Tulsa Shootout titles in the primary classes. After being out of the big dance for two years, he’s now rattled off back-to-back top-10s in A-Class with a few more opportunities this week to finally earn that third Golden Driller, which would put him one ahead of brother, Mitchell Faccinto.

Ashton Torgerson (Medford, OR) 

Completing one of the most remarkable comebacks in Tulsa Expo history, Ashton Torgerson returned to the scene of his harrowing crash from the 2023 Chili Bowl Nationals and promptly won a Golden Driller at the 2024 Tulsa Shootout less than a year later. He’s back in Tulsa this week to defend his A-Class title and chase a few other wins in the other three Stock/Outlaw divisions.

Trey Marcham (Oklahoma City, OK)

Remembered for his sweep of Outlaw Non-Wing and Stock Non-Wing in 2015, Marcham is back in the building eyeing a third Golden Driller this week at the Tulsa Shootout. Recently inside the Expo, he’s ran 5th in the 2023 Stock Non-Wing A-Main and then qualified for his first-career Chili Bowl Nationals A-Main in 2023, as well.

Tommy Kunsman (Bethlehem, PA)

One of the major talking points at last year’s Tulsa Shootout, Kunsman landed on the pole position in both Winged Outlaw and Outlaw Non-Wing. He wound up third and fifth to push his total to five top-five finishes in the last three years. There’s no being sneaky about it anymore, everyone in the building knows Kunsman will be in contention for a Golden Driller this week.

Jeffrey Newell (Tulsa, OK)

The 2022 Outlaw Non-Wing champion, Newell was another who recently saw decades-plus of determination finally pay off in the form of a Golden Driller. He’s one of the many born and bred Oklahomans, who love defending home turf come Shootout time.

Wyatt Miller (Mooresville, NC)

A winner in the Restricted class last year, Wyatt Miller returns to the Tulsa Expo this week with Golden Driller in hand. He’ll look to continue that success as the grandson of Dale Earnhardt, elevates to the Stock/Outlaw classes in CB Industries equipment.

A mountain of many more names including Garrett Benson, Brent Crews, Shawn Mahaffey, Cannon McIntosh, Jace Park, Sheldon Creed, Kris Carroll, Jett Barnes, Jake Andreotti, Clinton Boyles, Chris Cochran, Brenham Crouch, Broedy Graham, Anton Hernandez, Chelby Hinton, Sam Johnson, Kole Kirkman, Connor Lee, Jett Nunley, Aiden Price, Corbin Reuschenberg, Kevin Thomas Jr, Zach Wigal, Brant Woods, Jett Yantis, and others are worth keeping on eye as well.

The real fun stuff comes from the unknown, as almost always a new face will rise to the occasion on the grand stage and make a name for himself this week at the Tulsa Shootout.